Saving
by Iheartlovinglove
Summary: Jasper and Maggie must work together to find Henry and stop Ohmbi's evil reign.  Jaggie and HenryXOC
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Unnatural History.

(Jasper's Home)

There was a knock heard on the door as Jasper stumbled sleepily down the stairs. It was minutes before dusk and the piddy patter of rain could be heard outside the door. The man swung the door open, not bothering to inquire who his visitor was or what their concern was. His eyes scanned the horizon only to find no one there. He furrowed his brow and began to close the door when something caught his eye. As he took a step out the door his foot came in contact with a medium wooden crate. Curious as he was, he knew from experience that nothing good could come from mysterious cargo. None the less he picked up the crate and brought it inside. He set it gently on his living room floor and began to look it over. He noticed holes along the sides and found no markings indicating it had been through any mailing or shipping process.

"Well…I can either open this and regret it later or put it back where I found it," Jasper reasoned aloud, "Or rather should I say where it found me." He stared at the box as he squat down to its level. He carefully lifted the lid and peered into the box. A pair of dark hazel eyes pierced through the darkness causing Jasper to yelp and fall back. "What was that," he stammered to himself with a hand over his chest. He watched as a child timidly stood out of the crate. Jasper looked at the child in disbelief as he lifted himself off the ground, "Um…hello?"

"You are the man with the brown hair," the little girl said in a small voice.

"What," Jasper asked baffled as he walked closer to the crate, looking down at the child.

"Daddy said not to move and not to speak until I was with the man with the brown hair," the girl spoke clearly as she gripped a letter in her hand.

Jasper blinked and thought _I can't believe I'm asking info from a three year old instead of calling the police, _"How do you know I'm that man," Jasper asked shaking his head and lifted the child out of the box.

When he placed her on the ground she handed him the letter she had been holding onto and hopped onto his couch. "Make yourself at home," Jasper muttered as he took a seat on the opposite end. He looked over at the child once more then glanced at the letter in his hand. He opened the letter and a picture fell onto his lap. He set the letter to the side and gently picked up the photo. "The picture Henry, Maggie and I took in front of lockers sophomore year," he spoke softly to himself. The little girl bounced over to Jasper and leaned over to point to his image, "The man with the brown hair."

Jasper blinked as his mind rattled with thoughts. He turned to the little girl who smiled up at him. She turned back to the picture, "That is the woman with the brown hair." He watched her point to Maggie then turn back to him, "I am safe with the brown hair people."

Jasper looked down at the picture and then to the child beside him. He swallowed hard and asked, "Henry?"

"Daddy," the girl gave a quiet smile and placed her hand over Henry's face.

"Do I really want to know what's in this letter," Jasper picked up the letter and shifted it in his hands.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, "Dear God." He shakily unfolded the letter and read it in its entirety.

_Dear Jasper,_

_Or rather I say beloved cousin; it seems if too much time has passed since I've dragged you into an adventure. No worries though, for this will be the biggest favor I've asked of you yet. I'm glad you met my Maggie, now please guard her with your life (an entire country depends on it). Enlist the help of your friends and please save my wife. She has been taken to lure me and where I'm found so will she be. Jasper, this entire venture is…so much bigger than all of us. I've always trusted you with my life and I always will._

_Henry._

Jasper placed a hand over his eyes and slouched back, "Henry." He slapped down his hand and turned to the girl beside him, "What has your father gotten himself into?"


	2. Chapter 2

(Jasper's Home)

"When will my daddy come get me," the child asked, climbing onto Jasper's lap.

"It's more like, how will Uncle Jasper find daddy," Jasper lifted the child off his lap and placed her on the ground. He stood up and put his hands on his hips, "How on earth am I going to find Henry and his wife…I didn't even know he had wife! I mean this is Henry we are talking about, he could be anywhere in the world." The little girl clasped onto his leg and stood on his foot. He looked down at the child, "So Maggie huh?" The girl giggled and held on tighter. "Why did he name you after _her _and not me?"

The child hopped off his foot and ran to the window. "It's dark time," she pointed at the night sky. She took a seat on the floor and began to sing, "Lord I lift your name on high."

Jasper gave her a strange look as the child continued to sing, "You're a strange little kid…you most definitely belong to Henry." When the girl finished, she lifted herself off the ground and reattached herself to Jasper's leg. "And you're back," he said sarcastically. He sighed, "Let's go find what a little Maggie eats."

(Maggie's House)

"How old are you," Maggie asked the young man lying in her guest bed as she handed him a bowl of chicken soup, "Fourteen? Fifteen?"

"Fourteen," the young man sneezed as he accepted the bowl of soup.

Maggie nodded her head, "You have an accent so I guess that explains why you have no place to stay."

The boy nodded and continued eating his soup. Less than an hour prior to this Maggie had been driving in the rain when she had hit the boy. She hopped out of her car and rushed him to the hospital where the nurse told her the boy was fine. Maggie offered to take the young man home when he informed her that he had nowhere to go. She contemplated dropping him off at the boy's shelter but when he began coughing and sneezing she found no harm in bringing him home.

Maggie took the bowl that the boy handed to her and placed it on the dresser. "Are you going to be comfortable staying here? I know this might be a bit frightening for you," Maggie questioned.

The boy yawned before closing his eyes, "I've seen you in the picture." Before Maggie could ask him what he meant he drifted off to sleep.

"Well at least I'll have some company for a few days," Maggie whispered as she switched off the light and closed the door to the guest room.

(Jasper's House the next morning)

Jasper woke up the next morning finding it more difficult than usual to breath. He opened one eye and lifted his head to look down at his chest. "Oh boy, this wasn't all a dream and my cousin and his mysterious wife are actually in trouble," he spoke aloud as he looked down at the small child sleeping on top of him. He let his head fall back down to the pillow and thought aloud, "Henry always solves a mystery by first analyzing the evidence. Little Maggie is three so I doubt she will know much…that leaves that extremely vague letter." Jasper rolled his eyes and thought, "Enlist the help of your friends." Jasper sprung up causing Little Maggie to roll down his legs and awake. "Who was the last person to see Henry when he was in DC five years ago," Jasper pointed to Little Maggie.

"Mommy," Little Maggie clapped and bounced on the bed.

"Whitney is exactly right," he smiled and gave the child a high five. He leapt out of the bed and waited for Little Maggie to grip onto his leg, "He had just come back from the Arctic tundra to be Maggie's maid of honor at her wedding." He carefully walked down the stairs and into his home office, "That's where I took this picture of him and Whitney." He lifted the digital frame off his desk and pressed until the picture appeared on the screen. "She told him about her upcoming trip to some country and encouraged him to visit her."

He placed the frame back down and Little Maggie got a glimpse of the picture, "Leam's friend."

Jasper lifted the child and placed her on his hip, "whom?" He shook his head before she could respond, "That is Whitney and I think it is time we pay her a visit."

He walked out of the room as Little Maggie continued to look towards the frame.

(Whitney's Home)

Whitney placed a basket of laundry on her kitchen table when she heard the doorbell ring. "One moment," she called out as she took hold of her cane and made her way over to the door. She looked out the peep hole before opening the door.

"Do you have any idea how much car seats cost," Jasper joked as he gave Whitney a polite smile.

Whitney laughed, "Jasper, what a surprise! I haven't seen you in ages…" She looked down at the small girl holding onto Jasper's leg and her smile faltered. She looked back up to Jasper, "The last time I saw Henry was over four years ago. I sent him on a mission to see a friend of mine and to see if all was well." She took a look at Little Maggie, "But as I can see, the report has changed." She leaned down toward the little girl, "Your eyes…they're like a mixture of your mother's and your father's." Whitney offered her hand to the little girl and led her inside. Jasper instinctively stepped forward but Whitney turned to him and said, "She will be fine. My son is around her age so there are toys in his room for her to play with." Jasper nodded in agreement and took a seat on the couch until the woman returned. "The way he looked at her the night he came to rescue me, I knew instantly he had fallen for her," Whitney chuckled.

"Rescue you," Jasper asked as his eyes widened. "What happened Whitney? And where is Henry?"

Whitney swallowed as her gaze settled on the glass window, "I can only tell you my story and of what I know. The rest you will have to find on your own." Jasper nodded in agreement as she began:

"I was so happy…at the peak of my career. They sent me to cover the war in Reviend. I was stationed in Bonde, but in just a few short months I was living among the people of Saveed. Their king was quite fond of me and insisted that I would be safe there. I had only seen the village areas of Saveed, the patched together homes and dust ridden paths, until he invited me to the palace. It was so beautiful, covered in vegetation, with balconies and large windows without glass. There was a spring that ran through it and a large tree that grew through a hole in the roof. There were only a few well learned individuals and only the king, his daughter and his diplomats spoke English fluently. It had become a necessity to learn, especially in their time of warfare with the influx of foreigners into their neutral territory and their political dealings. The king was so kind…he taught the maidservants some of the language…even though Ohmbi, the chief of his council, disapproved. One of the maids taught the little English she had known to her ten year old son Leam. He tired to communicate with me and it was just the sweetest. I was there for over a year by the time he could read and speak English almost fluently…he practiced day and night and would only communicate with me in English. I had never met a child as smart as him in my entire life. Ohmbi hated it…it made him sick to see Leam talking to me in my native tongue; especially when he found out what I had been using to teach Leam. I had been helping Leam's mother clean the halls as Leam recounted the stories of the Bible. Ohmbi snatched Leam by the arm and asked him where he had heard the stories. Leam smiled at me, unfazed by Ohmbi's aggression and said 'Whitney has told me of the God above the Earth. He is for love and life.' He wiggled out of Ohmbi's grip and ran to his mother to hold her hand, saying 'If we worship Him then we will no longer have to feed Ohmbi's gods royal blood. Princess Jade will be saved.' I of course had no idea what Leam meant by that at the time, but Ohmbi was outraged. He spit at me and ordered me to say the Bible was a lie. I told him that the Word of God was true, then turned to Leam and whispered 'special place' to him. That night I was kidnapped and tortured…that is why I walk with this cane now. He told me I was a dead woman if I didn't tell Leam the Bible was wrong."

Whitney collapsed into Jasper's arms and cried. He held her akwardly and rubbed her arm as she sobbed. She lifted herself from him and settled on the couch. "I'm sorry for breaking down like this…this is actually the first time…truth be told, I have never felt stronger than when I stared death in the face. I guess I'm so emotional now because I know Ohmbi's reign of terror isn't over."

Jasper grimaced as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "What do you mean?"

"After he tortured me for three days, he left the hideout he had brought me to. Apparently Leam followed us the night I was kidnapped and waited every night for Ohmbi to leave. He snuck in through a window and freed me from my chains. He asked why Ohmbi was so angry with God and I told him I didn't know why. Then it dawned on me…something that Leam had said…"

Jasper thought for a moment, "The royal sacrifices."

Whitney smiled, "Brilliant as always Jasper." Jasper gave a shy smile and rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. "He didn't want the Word of God to spread because the people would call for the royal scarifies to be spared."

"But why," Jasper asked as he removed his arm from her shoulder and settled it on the back of the couch.

"Power," Whitney furrowed her brows and lifted her fingers to her lips as if the word left a trace of venom as it entered into time. She bit her lip and a thick silence hung between the two before Jasper's eyes lit up.

"That's why you whispered secret place. You knew Ohmbi would be rid of the Bible by sun down and so you had Leam hid it."

Whitney broke out of her trance and smiled slightly, "Exactly." She lifted herself off the couch and gripped her cane. "I told Leam to teach all the maidservants the stories and help them improve their English."

"That way they could teach the villagers," Jasper completed her explanation and stood.

"I knew I was going to die that next day, but it was okay. I figured the plan God had for me was completed and it was time for me to go," Whitney made her way to the kitchen before turning to Jasper, "But I guess I was wrong."

Jasper looked into her eyes, "What happened?"

She smiled, "Henry."


	3. Chapter 3

(Whitney's Kitchen)

Whitney made her way to the kitchen before turning to Jasper, "But I guess I was wrong."

Jasper looked into her eyes, "What happened?"

She smiled, "Henry." She turned and continued walking into the kitchen.

Jasper followed her and took a seat at the small wooden table, "Fuel for the fire as to why Henry was kidnapped, I'm guessing."

Whitney poured herself and Jasper a glass of orange juice before joining the man at the table. "The next night, before Ohmbi returned to finish me, Leam showed up with Henry and the king's daughter Princess Jade. They freed me from my chains as Ohmbi returned. Henry fought Ohmbi as Jade and Leam carried me through the forest to safety. Henry made it out alive and once the king had heard of Ohmbi's crimes he was exiled from Saveed."

Jasper listened attentively to her story, "How did Henry find you?"

Whitney shrugged, "Apparently he was in Saveed looking for me when Leam ran into him and recognized him from a picture I kept in my room."

Jasper smiled and gave a light laugh, "Leave it to Henry to find a friend in trouble, anywhere in the world."

Whitney smiled and then gave Jasper a serious look, "And now it is up to his friends to find him in his time of trouble." She held a grip on her glass, "Ohmbi is a dangerous and evil being. I should have known once he was exiled he would count the days until he took his revenge and the power he craves. After I had healed, Henry and I returned to Bonde. I met a missionary there who was inspired by my story and asked me to join him on one of his ventures. Before I left I asked Henry to check on Leam and his family. I received a single letter from Henry stating things were well and a descriptive four pages on how amazing a certain princess was. Since then I have heard nothing."

Jasper blinked and took a deep breath, "Wow, so much has happened in your life and Henry's…I feel like this all happened in some alternate reality and everything is the same as it was ten years ago."

Whitney stood, "This is reality my friend and that was my story. The rest is up to you." She stepped closer to Jasper and leaned forward, "Please find Henry and save Jade's people."

(Night-Jasper's Home)

Jasper sat in the middle of his living room floor with books and papers scattered all around him and the picture of the trio propped up in front of him in a small frame. He sighed and fell backwards, "How am I ever going to do this? I'm the sidekick…Henry is the hero. I should be the one being held hostage in some distant country by a power hungry maniac….that is my role."

Little Maggie stood on top of his stomach and began to sing, "Lord I life your name on high."

Jasper turned his head and looked out the window, "Oh yeah, it's dark time." He watched the child sing and when she had finished she hopped off his stomach and sat on a pile of books.

He sat up and folded his hands in his lap, "What makes you think you can just sit on top of my reference materials young lady?"

Little Maggie giggled and got down from the pile. She wrapped her arms around a large book and smiled, "My books."

Jasper laughed and picked up a few pieces of paper, "Whose books?"

"Maggie books," the little girl squealed and fell back as she failed to lift the book.

Jasper's smile widened, "Maggie books," his smile fell, "Wait…Maggie…books." He looked over at the picture, "If anybody can solve this mystery without Henry it's definitely Maggie." Jasper looked up at the ceiling, "Unfortunately." With that being said he fell backward once more and closed his eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

(Outside Maggie's House)

Jasper gripped the steering wheel as he continued to look at the house he had parked beside. "You would think by now she would realize how often I park my car here," he said aloud as he watched her walk past her living room window. He caught his breath as she returned to the window and crossed her arms as she looked up to the streaked evening sky.

"Pretty lady," Little Maggie commented as she smacked on her chicken nuggets.

Jasper turned to face the child, "Whose side are you on?" The child shrugged and continued to snack. He took a deep breath and turned back to the steering wheel, "For Henry."

(Inside Maggie's House)

"How are you feeling Leam," Maggie called out as she turned from the window and walked towards the dining table.

"Much better," the boy replied as he excused himself from the table and walked to the couch in the front room. Maggie gathered his dishes and placed them in the kitchen sink before following him to the couch. "It's nice having company for dinner," she chuckled lightly, "a room tends to seem small when you have only the conscious side of yourself with who to converse."

She looked to Leam for a response but he had become entranced with the program on the television. She smiled, "Well at least someone is here while I talk to myself." She heard a knock at the door and got up to answer it. Her eyes widened and her hand trembled slightly as she leaned against the door.

"…Hello Maggie," Jasper greeted awkwardly after clearing his throat several times.

"Jasper," Maggie half whispered as she continued to look at him in awe. He met her eyes but looked away as Little Maggie announced here presence, "I am here brown hair lady."

Maggie slowly looked down to the child attached to Jasper's leg. The child waved with her free hand while the other remained clenched to the man's leg.

"Her preferred way to travel," Jasper joked as he glanced around the porch.

Maggie waved at the child, "Who is this?"

Jasper put his hands in his pockets, "Meet Henry's daughter, Maggie…as in her name_ is_ Maggie."

Maggie wore a stunned visage as Jasper's words sunk in, "Daughter?"

Jasper nodded, "And guess whose missing?"

He handed Maggie the letter as he stepped past her and into the house. Jasper froze in front of the couch before turning to Maggie, "Dating teenagers now," he asked in a sarcastic tone.

Maggie rolled her eyes as she walked over to Leam. "This is my friend Leam, he has been staying here until he gets better," Maggie explained.

"She hit me with her car," Leam clarified as he continued watching television.

Maggie whipped her head towards Leam saying, "Yeah, but he is fine!" Leam chuckled and Maggie smiled before turning her attention back to Jasper, "However, it was raining and he caught a cold. He has nowhere to go… so I felt I owed it to the kid to take care of him."

Jasper looked Maggie over for a moment with an amused look on his face while Little Maggie detached herself from his leg and moved towards Leam. She spoke the words of another language to which Leam responded in the same. Both adults turned to the children. "Is that Java," Maggie asked as she stepped closer to the children.

"Like the coffee or the computer language," Jasper walked behind Maggie, keeping his distance.

"Like Java-andas…the spoken language in the south eastern Atlantic territories," Maggie replied.

Jasper glanced down to the letter in Maggie's hand. "Leam…as in Henry's Leam," he asked the young man sitting on the couch.

Leam looked the man in the eyes, "Yes, and he needs you."


	5. Chapter 5

I do not own Unnatural History.

Leam looked the man in the eyes, "Yes, and he needs you." The sound of the television program faded as the boy was shocked back into reality. His whole purpose of being in the strange country was resting on his side and standing right in front of him.

"So I've been told," Jasper replied, not breaking eye contact. Finally, another thread to the tangled mess Henry left him to unravel.

Maggie looked from the boy to the man, "What is going on?" She took note of the deep look in Jasper's eyes, knowing he would soon reveal the secret behind his unanticipated visit.

Without budging Jasper ordered, "Read the letter."

Maggie gave Jasper a strange look before looking down at the folded paper in her hands. She unfolded the letter and began to read.

Jasper sat down beside Leam as Little Maggie climbed onto Leam's back. "I suppose you were the one who brought Little Maggie to my doorstep."

Leam nodded in agreement, "At King Henry's request."

Jasper shifted back, slightly surprised by the title. He took a breath when Maggie interrupted. "We have no idea where Henry is trapped," Maggie exclaimed in frustration. She was so angry and scared that her chest began to burn.

"Looks like someone is done reading," Jasper teased, trying to calm the woman down. It didn't work of course and Leam had to run and get her some water. Jasper explained to Maggie everything Whitney had told him. Once she settled down onto the couch, Leam sat on the floor in front of her.

"King Henry sent me here with Maggie to protect her. He sent the letter because he knew...he knew you two could find him," Leam explained.

Maggie played the statement over and over in her head until she blinked, "He left us a code and he trusts us to crack it."

"Obviously," Jasper rolled his eyes and slouched into the couch.

"After all these years, Henry still believes we can solve any mystery," Maggie smiled to herself.

"And he still trusts us with his life...literally," Jasper added, sitting back up. He leaned forward towards Leam and folded his hands in front of him, "Tell us everything you know."

"When Ohmbi was exiled from Saveed there was talk of a secret location he had found...the place where he built his army of thieves. No one dared to find this secret place for fear of being over taken by the evil that consumes the heart of men," Leam explained.

"So you all know where they have taken your Queen and Henry and no one has gone to rescue them," Maggie spoke in anger.

"It is not that simple" Leam replied. "The location is revealed only to thieves and crooks who have joined Ohmbi's army. What I'm saying is...King Henry was a very well respected man. It would have been hard but not impossible for him to get the location from one of the scum willing to trade secrets for treasures."

Maggie softened her look, taking a deep breath before walking towards her bookshelf. "Knowing Henry, he left a way for us to find him," Maggie took a book from the shelf and laid it on the coffee table. She opened the book and revealed a map, "And I know where to start."

After spending hours trying to find hidden codes in the letter and the picture Little Maggie had, the three decided top stop for the night. Jasper lifted Little Maggie off the couch and began to walk towards the door. Maggie opened the door and leaned on the frame after Jasper brushed past her. She watched him place the little girl carefully in the backseat of the car and buckle her in. He closed the backdoor and moved towards the open driver's door. Maggie held her breath as she ran towards the man. She embraced him in a tight hug around the waist, causing him to stumble slightly. He blinked as he held his arms awkwardly to the side. He cleared his throat and was about to take a step back when he heard a small voice. Maggie lifted her head from his chest and turned to the open car door.

"Oh, she's just singing again," Jasper thought aloud, smiling at the small child.

Maggie lifted a brow as she watched the little girl sing sleepily. "I know that song," the woman spoke softly. She watched the little girl yawn before continuing to sing, "That is...what is it called...Lord I lift your name on high."

"Yeah, that's the song," Jasper replied, still feeling uncomfortable since Maggie had not yet let go of him. He gently removed her arms and stepped back, "She's really religious...she sings that song like every night."

Maggie gave him a look, "Have you ever heard of a religious three year old?"

Jasper shrugged, "Well I just figured since Whitney exposed Saveed to the Bible, some of the hems of praise were taught as well."

Maggie looked at Jasper for a moment before she opened the backdoor, "Sweetie," Maggie gently shook the girl who had slipped back into sleep. "Who taught you that song?"

Little Maggie stirred and lifted her heavy eyes, "Daddy...he say sing every dark time."

Maggie backed away from the car and turned to Jasper, "We've found our code."

(Okay, this is the end of chapter five. I really hope you all enjoyed it! I don't know about you, but I kind of image Maggie as Horatio during that last sentince.)


	6. Chapter 6

I do not own Unnatural History.

Jasper left the room door cracked as he turned down the hall. He had just tucked Little Maggie into bed and was making his way downstairs. The two had decided to decipher the code at his house so that Leam could rest. He found Maggie with her head poked into the fridge when he came into the kitchen. "Don't you think it is a bit rude to rummage through people's refrigerators," he said in an arrogant tone as he took a seat at the kitchen table.

Maggie lifted herself from her crouched position and glanced around the room, "I always raid your fridge when I come over."

Jasper rolled his eyes, "That was then, this is now." He shifted in his seat and placed his hands on the table.

Maggie picked up a glass of water she had fixed herself and took a gulp. She narrowed her eyes, "What is that suppose to mean?"

"Don't pretend we haven't spent the last five years of our lives acting as if the other never existed," Jasper snorted.

He noticed her breaths quicken and her glare intense, "You were the one who ended our friendship. When we left for college you promised things would stay the same between the three of us...but they didn't. You knew how miserable I was," she argued. She took a breath and in a softened tone said, "You knew how the students treated me because of my achievements." Jasper looked down at his hands. "But Jasper was too busy with his new found popularity to return my calls or answer my emails," she whispered, "But Henry...Henry was _always_ and _has always_ been there for me." She picked up her bag from beside the table and took out her book. She opened the book to the map and placed it on the table, "And I'm going to find him."

Jasper sat silently as he let the moment sink in. He looked to the woman in front of him and felt sorry for not being slower to anger. "I asked you to transfer," Jasper murmured.

Maggie pulled her hair up into a bun, "Why? So you could reject me up close."

Jasper sighed and brought his hands to his head, "It would have been different...you would have been there."

Maggie scoffed, "Well luckily I didn't have to be in front of Henry's face for him to be my friend." She took a pen out of her bag along with a notebook, "I received letters and calls from him all throughout college. He came to visit me, he sent me gifts... and I did the same. And even though I haven't heard from him in these past few years, I know he would never abandon me."

"Here you go again, always comparing me to Henry," Jasper huffed, anger budding inside of him. "If you haven't realized it yet, he is married now and its not to you."

Maggie looked up from her notebook and scoffed, "Henry's not the one who asked."

Thrown off by her comment, Jasper widened his eyes. The memory formed five years ago played in his mind:

_Jasper found Maggie praying in the pews after all the other guest had left. Her big white gown engulfed the bench while her soft brown curls bounced off her shoulders. She spoke when she heard him seat behind her, "I was praying for this day to be over...if you were wondering." Jasper held back tears as the image of her face just moments ago appeared in his mind. Her groom had announced that he could not marry her. "He is in love with another woman," Maggie chocked out as she began to sob softly. Jasper's heart broke as he gently rested a hand on her shoulder. "He was years older than me but he was the only person who was nice to me at university," Maggie breathed. "He was my roommate's biochemistry professor. We met during one of her classes...I offered to take notes for her while she got over a hangover...my last attempt at earning a friendship with her before she requested a room transfer. I knew he would appreciate me, so I spent all my time in his research group. We would discuss articles and he would take me to conferences and dissertations. After I graduated we started dating then he asked me to marry him." Maggie trembled beneath Jasper's grip, "He's known Bessie for only a month now and he insist he can't be without her...but didn't realize that until now." Jasper stood and walked around the bench so that he was in front of the woman. "At least they are the same age," she cried, shaking and putting her head in her hands. _

_Jasper couldn't take it any longer. He knelt down in front of her and took her hand. "I'll never hurt you and I'll never leave you," he whispered. He had surprised himself with his sudden declaration and anxiously searched the woman's face. _

_Maggie stared at him in disbelief before replying, "There is no difference between the man who left me five minuets ago and the boy who left me for five years." She removed her hand and gathered her dress to walk away. That was five years ago and they hadn't spoken to each other since. _

Jasper frowned, looking at the wall beside him, "Lucky him."

Maggie winced as the color in her face vanished, misinterpreting what he had meant, "And I suppose lucky for you that I declined your pity offer."

Jasper turned his head towards her when a banging on the door broke the tension. Jasper lifted himself from his seat and crept towards the door. Maggie clenched and umbrella in her hand as she stood behind Jasper. "Who is it," Jasper bellowed in a voice deeper than usual.

"It is Leam," the voice replied.

Jasper looked to Maggie who shrugged in response. Jasper opened the door and tow men shoved their way in. "Where is the girl," the tallest man barked.

Maggie furrowed her brows and turned to Leam. "Ohmbi has captured my mother. My friend on the plane that smuggled us here has betrayed me and now Ohmbi will not give back my mother until Maggie is in his possession," Leam confessed.

"That is right," the smaller man snickered. "Ruba will not be free until we have the girl."

Maggie tilted her head to the side as she continued to look at Leam, "Ruba..that is not the name you told me."

A look of horror spread across Leam's face as he whispered, "It was a trick."

Jasper grabbed the umbrella from Maggie's hand and whacked one of the intruders on the head. Maggie ran upstairs to grab Little Maggie as Jasper and Leam began to fight the men. She clutched the little girl to her chest as she climbed out the bedroom window. Jasper knocked the smaller man out with a coat rack and Leam flipped the taller man over his back. Jasper grabbed his keys and Maggie's things from the kitchen then followed Leam out the door. Maggie climbed down the roof and onto a tree beside the house. She tossed Little Maggie down to Leam and then climbed the rest of the way down.

When they were safely in the car Jasper sped off. "I can't believe you did that to us," he eyed Leam in the rear view mirror.

Maggie tugged at her seat belt as she thought over the situation. "He thought they had his mother Jasper...he is just a boy," Maggie turned to Leam and patted his knee. She gave him a sympathetic look and mouthed, "Everything will be fine."

Leam frowned and looked down at the little girl in his arms, "I'm so sorry Maggie." A tear slid down his cheek and dripped onto the little child's nose.

Jasper watched the boy in the mirror and cleared his throat, " I guess you two aren't the only ones who knew about the brown haired people."

Maggie slid down in her seat and tugged on her belt, "So where do we go now?"

Jasper gripped the steering wheel and let out a breath, "We get Little Maggie and Leam somewhere safe."

Okay! Well that is the end of chapter six. This is my favorite chapter so far because it has some Jasper/Maggie drama and we see how strongly Maggie feels about her friendship with Henry. I Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!


	7. Chapter 7

(Dean Bartlett's Apartment)

"What has Henry gotten himself into," Dean Bartlett sighed. He wiped his brow with a handkerchief and leaned back into a recliner chair. Although he had yet to retire from his position as Dean, he decided to live in a smaller home and left his house to Jasper.

"Don't worry Dad, we will find him," Jasper assured his father. He lifted Little Maggie from where she stood by the bookshelf and placed her on his father's lap.

The little girl tilted her head back and smiled at the older man. Dean Bartlett gave the child a warm grin, "I know you will."

Maggie walked into the room, placing her cell phone in her front pocket. "I called my dad. He pulled a few strings and found a safe location for the three of you."

"What about my mother," Leam asked with a teary and worried expression as he shifted his eyes from Jasper to Maggie.

Maggie put an arm around his shoulder, "I'm sure she is safe. If he had her, the goons wouldn't have had to life." She gave the boy a squeeze and then turned to Jasper, "Daddy will be here to take them to the airport in half an hour. He thinks it would be best if we don't know where they are."

Jasper nodded and turned back to his father, "They can't torture Little Maggie's location out of us if we don't know where you all are."

Dean Bartlett gave a small grin and picked up the child on his lap, "I'm sure God won't let it come to that." He stood and placed Little Maggie on his hip, "Let's go pack bunny."

Jasper chuckled and raised a brow, "Bunny?"

Dean Bartlett grimaced as he walked past his son," Ah, 'Little Maggie' is too confusing with actual Maggie here."

Jasper held up his arms defensively while Maggie lowered her brows and gave a thin smile, trying to contain her laughter.

The man and woman stood in silence after Dean Bartlett left the room. Leam took a seat in the recliner and eyed the bookshelf.

"We should probably warn Whitney that Ohmbi has searchers in DC," Maggie thought aloud as she took out her phone.

Jasper's hand shot out to cover hers, "Don't worry, I'm sure she packed her family and headed to Russia the day after I visited her." Maggie nodded in agreement and put her phone away. "How would Ohmbi even have goons in DC," Jasper walked towards the window and leaned against the wall.

Maggie took a seat on the edge of the couch and clasped her hands under her chin. "Did you notice their attire?"

Jasper lifted himself from the wall and tilted his head upward, "Yeah, they looked more like businessmen instead of thugs." Maggie continued to dwell on Jasper's last statement while Jasper turned his attention to Leam. "What happened in Saveed after Ohmbi was banished?"

Leam's eyes shifted to Jasper as he patted his stomach, teenage hunger settling in. Jasper heard the growl of the boy's stomach and ran to the kitchen. He brought the boy a few muffins and a glass of milk.

Leam took a huge bite of muffin and gulp of milk before beginning. "Ohmbi was banished for his murderous crimes and evil schemes. He intentionally lied to us so that he could kill the royal daughters and kidnapped my special friend Whitney. In time, the people of Saveed had changed dramatically. I taught the maidservants and man-servants to read and speak the English. The king improved the conditions of his people and the war between the lands of Reviend had finally ended."

Jasper shook his head and lowered his brows, "The war ended...just like that," he snapped his fingers.

Leam gave a nod, "The lands had been quite peaceful, living in harmony as our own separate countries in the rich land, until Ohmbi convinced the king that two cultures could not share a land and one had to dominate. Once Ohmbi was exiled, the two leaders came to the mutual decision to share the land and remain two independent countries, Saveed and Crosspede...never to try and take over the other."

Maggie sprung off the couch and pointed at Jasper, "Do you remember that headline in the paper a few months ago?"

Jasper turned his attention to Maggie and smirked, "What's a paper?"

Maggie rolled her eyes, "Does the name Shultz sound familiar?"

Jasper thought for a moment," Robert Shultz."

Maggie grinned, "As in Robert Shultz the chemist turned business titan."

Jasper shrugged his shoulders, "But why would Shultz be involved with a foreign delegate of a war ridden country?"

"Three words...rare earth metals," Maggie shot up a brow and smirked. "Over twenty percent of Reviend's land mines contain those metals. If Shultz got control of mining rights there, he would make a fortune," Maggie crossed her arms.

"And so would Ohmbi," Jasper's eyes widened. "That explains the war. He wanted both territories so the trade would be more valuable with Shultz. Plus I'm sure Crosspede's leaders would not go for foreigners stripping their land of resources."

"When Henry came along, his plan was ruined," Maggie reasoned. "Shultz must have not been too happy about his deal being ca-put and joined forces with Ohmbi."

"Well then that explains the intruders," Dean Bartlett walked in with a few bags and Little Maggie in his arms.


End file.
